


All But Desperate

by penguinparity



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Random social theory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-28
Updated: 2010-10-28
Packaged: 2017-11-26 18:11:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/653017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/penguinparity/pseuds/penguinparity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Years later and Arthur is still getting to know Eames.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All But Desperate

Arthur knows from Eames's momentary freeze that he's been made.

"Dr. Underhill!" the man yells again, trotting quickly across the street towards them. Eames has his hand discretely curled around Arthur's elbow, preventing him from reaching for the pistol nestled in a shoulder holster under his jacket.

"Tolkien, really?" Arthur asks incredulous under his breath and Eames actually flushes.

"Marcus," Eames says with a warm smile only Arthur can tell is forced. "It's just George these days, mate. Still ABD after all these years."

"For shame, George. We all thought you'd be tenured at Oxford or some posh American uni by now." The man smiles, darting an inquisitive glance towards Arthur and where Eames's hand is still wrapped around his arm.

"Ah, forgive me," Eames says smoothly. "This is my partner, Arthur." Arthur is almost surprised by the lack of surprise that crosses the man's face, if anything he's confused by the expression of near amusement that finally settles.

"For a man who wrote his dissertation on love being a social construction of bourgeoisie social identity, you seem remarkably content. If I do say so myself," Marcus says with a teasing grin. Eames laughs outright at this and releases Arthur's arm, only to wrap it around his shoulder.

"Yes, well, perhaps there's a reason I never finished the blasted thing. Philosophical claptrap, it was," Eames says with a genuine grin this time. Arthur relaxes back into Eames's embrace and offers his hand to Marcus.

"If you're in the city for long, we should grab a drink. Catch up and all that," Marcus smiles easily and pulls out his mobile. He turned to Arthur before continuing, "and we must get your man here to show us his impersonations of our old professors, they were dead on. Quite hilarious."

Arthur grins over at Eames, "he is quite amazing at that, isn't he?"

**Author's Note:**

> See what I did there with the title? Clever, I know. Originally a comment fic for Bookshop's Fluff Meme.


End file.
